"Hallmark Hall of Fame" Gideon's Trumpet (1980)

Director:

Robert E. Collins

Writers:

Anthony Lewis (book)
David W. Rintels (teleplay)

TV Series:

"Hallmark Hall of Fame" (1951)

Original Air Date:

30 April 1980 (Season 29, Episode 3)

Plot:

True story of Clarence Gideon's fight to be appointed counsel at the expense of the state. This landmark...

Plot Keywords:

Supreme Court | Cross Examination | Indigent Counsel | Justice | Indigent

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Clarence Earl Gideon
José Ferrer	...	Abe Fortas
John Houseman	...	Chief Justice / Offscreen Narrator
Fay Wray	...	Edna Curtis
Sam Jaffe	...	1st Supreme Court Justice
Dean Jagger	...	Sixth Supreme Court Justice
Nicholas Pryor	...	Jacob
William Prince	...	5th Supreme Court Justice
Lane Smith	...	Fred Turner
Richard McKenzie	...	Judge Robert McCrary
Dolph Sweet	...	Charlie
Ford Rainey	...	2nd Supreme Court Justice
David Sheiner	...	Abe Krash
J. Patrick McNamara	...	Harris
Les Lannom	...	Bobby Earle

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

California Institution for Men - 14901 Central Avenue, Chino, California, USA

Company:

Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions

Trivia:

Fay Wray's final screen appearance.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Several times during his argument before the Supreme Court, Abe Fortas addresses one of the Justices as "Mr. Justice." The title "Mr." is only used in addressing the Chief Justice (i.e. "Mr. Chief Justice"). All other Justices are addressed either as "Justice [Last Name]" or "Your Honor," which a prominent attorney like Fortas (who in real life went on to become a Supreme Court Justice himself) should know.

Quotes:

James Fitzpatrick: [referring to Jacob, who is about to argue before the Supreme Court for the very first time] Don't go feeling sorry for the poor son-of-a-bitch until we've won.

The very best of the post-1970's "Hallmark Hall of Fame" productions

In another review, I stated that the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" series was never as good during the last twenty years or so as it had been during its glorious days in the 1950's and '60's. There was one brilliant exception, however, and this is it. "Gideon's Trumpet" can stand up proudly alongside all the other "Hall of Fame" episodes of the past as one of the finest made-for TV films ever made.

It tells the true story of Clarence Earl Gideon, an ex-convict who, in the early 1960's, was accused of breaking into and robbing a convenience store in Florida. Claiming innocence, he was forced to serve as his own lawyer because states' laws at that time did not require an accused person to be automatically given a lawyer. Failing miserably at his own defense, he was sent to prison, where, as a model prisoner, he studied up on law and petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for the right to be granted a lawyer.

This phrase has already become a cliché from overuse, but Henry Fonda, in one of his last performances, does not play Clarence Gideon--he IS Clarence Gideon. He inhabits the role so completely that we never believe we are watching Henry Fonda; we believe we are seeing a poor, inarticulate, awkward, somewhat cranky, but basically kind man named Clarence Gideon. Fonda utterly lives the role in a way that he seldom does in his other films (although he was an excellent actor).

The other actor who gives a memorable performance is José Ferrer, as Abe Fortas, who pleads Fonda's petition before the Supreme Court. As Fortas, Ferrer gets to do one of the things he does best, and which he had not done to my knowledge since playing "Cyrano de Bergerac"--deliver a long, impressive speech before the Court. I don't know how much of the speech was actually taken from the Court hearing and how much was written by the excellent screenwriters, but there are few things as satisfying as an actor who not only gives a great performance, but also delivers a long speech beautifully. The thrill of hearing Ferrer's rich, beautiful voice argue a case before the Supreme Court is enough reason for me to tune in to this film every time it is shown on TV.

There is also a cameo from Fay Wray, as Fonda's longtime landlady, and the other Justices of the Court, all of whom are also excellent, consist of such familiar faces as John Houseman, Sam Jaffe, Dean Jagger, and other familiar character actors from television.

This great production might strike some viewers brought up only on action films as boring--there is no action at all in it; it's like watching a filmed play--but, believe me, there is not a single boring moment in it, if you appreciate well-written characters and dialogue. And this film avoids all of the drippy sentiment that has plagued "Hallmark Hall of Fame" over the last six years or so. If only this anthology series had stayed on the level of "Gideon's Trumpet".